State Laboratories Division
For Non-Laboratory Inquiries, please call the Department of Health Information Line : (808) 586-4400
HAWAII DISTRICT HEALTH LABORATORY
KAUAI DISTRICT HEALTH LABORATORY
MAUI DISTRICT HEALTH LABORATORY
State Laboratories Division (SLD) conducts laboratory testing in support of environmental and public health programs statewide. Consultation, licensing, and other related laboratory services focused on environmental health and communicable disease control are provided to various federal, state, city, county, and private organizations. SLD also conducts research, laboratory science investigations, and participates in emergency response efforts such as bioterrorism preparedness and monitoring air quality effects of volcanic activity.
Statement of Program Objective
To enhance the effectiveness of other health programs by providing specialized laboratory services to health care facilities and departmental programs and to various official agencies.
Program Memoranda Statement
Administers a statewide laboratories program which conducts scientific analysis in support of environmental health and communicable disease monitoring and control activities. Provides consultative and other related laboratory services to departmental programs concerned with environmental and sanitation safeguards. Provides diagnostic and consultative laboratory services to physicians, institutions and various federal, state, county and city agencies for the diagnosis and control of disease. Evaluates and approves or licenses laboratories, clinical laboratory personnel and medical review officers. Provides research, investigations and related laboratory services in the field of public and environmental health. Participates in the national Bioterrorism Preparedness program which provides federal funded positions, equipment and supplies to enable the State Laboratory to respond to chemical terrorism and bioterrorism events including the rapid testing of suspected bioterrorism agents.
Workforce
Your highly trained Hawaii State Laboratories workforce consists almost 100 laboratory professionals and support staff. We have 7 Ph.D. chemists and 4 Ph.D. microbiologists. There are numerous master’s prepared laboratorians, and many hold state & national certifications and licenses.
Representative Analytical Services (microbial or chemical contaminants)
- 540,000 air samples per year
- 5,500 recreational water samples
- 300 food products
- 5,000 drinking water samples
- 40,000 human clinical specimens
Laboratory Credentials and Certifications
- Certified by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for clinical testing
- Certified by Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water testing.
- Approved by Environmental Protection Agency to administer Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Program (microbiology and chemistry) for the state of Hawaii
- Certified by Food and Drug Administration for analysis of foods and dairy products.
- CDC Laboratory Response Network – Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response to Biological and Chemical events
- Certified by National Animal Health Laboratory Network for animal diseases that affect human health
- Food Emergency Response Network for food defense and emergency response.
- SCOPE OF ACCREDITATION TO ISO/IEC 17025:2005- Food Testing
External Proficiency Testing for Quality Management
- College of American Pathologists – State Labs Division
- College of American Pathologists – Medical Microbiology Branch
- CDC Model Performance Evaluation Program
- American Association of Bioanalysts
- EPA Approved Proficiency Testing Programs
Organization
The SLD consists of three branches
The Environmental Health Analytical Services Branch, Medical Microbiology Branch and Laboratory Preparedness and Response Branch. Sections specializing in analytical activities are as follows:
Environmental Health Analytical Services Branch
- Drinking Water
- Drinking Water Lab Certification
- DUI Coordination
- Environmental Microbiology
- Food Chemistry
- Substance Abuse Testing
- Water Pollution